Ah, Halloween. The one night a year when you can knock on strangers’ doors, demand sugary delights, and it’s all perfectly socially acceptable. But wait, what about our beloved horses? Are they to be left out of the spooky fun?...
As autumn begins to unfold, it's essential to focus on the health and well-being of our equine companions. With the shift in weather patterns, considerations such as autumn horse vaccinations in the UK and proper hoof care in wet weather...
As the warm days of summer give way to the crisp air of autumn, it’s essential to start considering how these seasonal changes will impact your horse's care. "Adjusting horse feed for autumn" is critical, particularly in the UK, where...
When there is sudden, day-long torrential rain, or any other reason why you decide to keep your horse or pony inside for a day or two when he would normally be turned out for an hour or more, what should...
We all want to turn our horses and ponies out to enjoy a wonderful summer grazing freely and socialising with herd mates. However, if your horse and pony is sugar-sensitive and has an enforced stay inside because of suspected problems...
Cut down turnout in Spring for sugar-sensitive ponies and horses. Often heard; but how much…….let’s take a typical small native pony weighing 250-290kgs. 3 hours? No. I hour? No. Why, of course everything depends upon the individual circumstances but a...
Although we cannot affect a horse’s inborn temperament, by thinking about the way the horse’s digestive system evolved, and feeding in sympathy with it, we can help him feel much more relaxed and focused. So how do we feed in...
Cobalt has not been added to horse feed or supplements made by reputable manufacturers since 2010 when cobalt carbonate (the salt added to premixes) was declared potentially carcinogenic for the people working in the premix plant because of its small...
The primary function of iron is as a component of haemoglobin, which is vital for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. It is also a component of other proteins e.g. myoglobin, which transports oxygen in muscle...
Selenium needs to work in conjunction with vitamin E in order for them both to act as antioxidants to help maintain healthy cell function, repair DNA and reduce tissue damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are normally produced during...
Iodine is very well known as it is contained in thyroid hormones e.g. thyroxin, a powerful hormone, contained largely in the thyroid gland, which controls growth and is essential for healthy metabolism, thermoregulation and reproduction. Therefore iodine is also essential...
Manganese is well known for its role in bone and cartilage formation. It is essential for the synthesis of mucopolysaccharides and chondroitin sulphate, the latter itself being needed for cartilage synthesis. It is also essential for a healthy central nervous...
